Trump decries 'Schumer beauty' visa program after NYC terror attack

President Trump lashed out on Wednesday at Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., suggesting he was responsible for protecting the U.S. visa program reportedly used by the suspect in the Manhattan terror attack the day before.

“The terrorist came into our country through what is called the ‘Diversity Visa Lottery Program,’ a Chuck Schumer beauty,” Trump tweeted. “I want merit based.”

The terrorist came into our country through what is called the "Diversity Visa Lottery Program," a Chuck Schumer beauty. I want merit based.

Officials say the 29-year-old suspect, Sayfullo Saipov, killed eight people and wounded 13 others while driving a rented pickup truck along a bike path in lower Manhattan on Tuesday afternoon. Saipov emerged from the pickup truck after ramming into a school bus, brandishing what police later determined were fake weapons. He was shot in the abdomen and taken into custody. Authorities found a note left by the suspect near the scene claiming allegiance to ISIS.

The Washington Post notes that in 2013, Schumer was among a group of senators who introduced a bipartisan proposal to revamp U.S. immigration laws that would have eliminated the diversity lottery. The proposal passed the Senate but died in the House.

In a separate statement, Schumer accused Trump of proposing cuts to counterterrorism funding.

“I have always believed, and continue to believe, that immigration is good for America,” Schumer said. “President Trump, instead of politicizing and dividing America, which he always seems to do at times of national tragedy, should be focusing on the real solution — anti-terrorism funding — which he proposed cutting in his most recent budget. I’m calling on the President to immediately rescind his proposed cuts to this vital anti-terrorism funding.”

The grant program was created by President George W. Bush after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, but it was scaled back during his second term. In 2017, President Barack Obama proposed even deeper cuts to the antiterror grants.

Hours after Tuesday’s attack, Trump tweeted that he had ordered the Department of Homeland Security to “step up” its “extreme vetting program.” The president did not specify what those steps would be.

On Wednesday morning, Schumer addressed the attack and Trump’s response in a string of nearly two dozen tweets.

I rise this morning with a heavy heart. A city no stranger to terrorism was once again its victim last night – my home city of New York.

“The president ought to stop tweeting and start leading,” Schumer told reporters at separate press briefing. “The American people long for leadership not divisiveness not finger pointing not name calling. This is a tragedy, it’s less than a day after it occurred and he can’t refrain from his nasty divisive habits.”

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he is starting the process of terminating the lottery program.

“I am going to ask Congress to immediately initiate work to get rid of this program,” he said. “Diversity sounds nice. It’s not nice. It’s not good.”